June 4, 2018
This week our first big group of students arrived and we began work at the site of our first excavation at Keem Bay. After orientation on Monday and Tuesday, we started de-sodding on Wednesday. 2018 is our fifth and last season of excavation at the pre-Famine village of Keem. This year we’re targeting what we suspect may be the oldest part of the village, perhaps representing an early seasonal grazing settlement that expanded into a more permanent village during the late 18th century. De-sodding the site was hard work due to the thick heather and fern roots covering the site. We were blessed with glorious sunny weather which made the work a lot easier. With the sod removed the next step will be the cleaning off of the topsoil next week.
